Magnetic can opener



Nov. 11, 1952 FARANDATQS 2,617,184

MAGNETIC CAN OPENER Filed Feb. 12, 1951 INVENTOR. DEN/S FARANDATOS ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT QF'FICE' MAGNETIC CAN OPENER Denis Farandatos, New York, Y. Application February 12, 1951, Serial Ni. 210,556

2 Claims.

This invention relatesto a can opener.

The problems relating to can openers arise not only in the home but particularly in restaurants, where hundreds of cans containing different foods may be opened in sequence by a single opener. Such on operation involves questions of cleanliness and contamination. Contamination occurs when an opener which has just been used to open a can of one kind of food, for instance beans, is subsequently used without cleansing to open another kind, for instance berries. Some residue from the first can is transferred to the second by the knife. This problem of contamination has a graver side because the knives of can openers, in cutting the metal of the can, sever tiny particles of metal which fall into the contents of the can, and this contamination increases as the knife grows older and duller. Such particles of metal are injurious, and have been recognized as such by dietary authorities. The degree of such contamination by metal particles is of sufficient magnitude to constitute a real problem.

The question of cleanliness is much in evidence in restaurant practice, as can tops are not clean, and as the severed tops of cans fall into the contents of the can and slowly submerge. The usual method of extracting the top is push one side of the top downward with a finger so as to raise the opposite side above the food level, grasping the raised edge of the can before it submerges. The fingers of the operator thus enter the food of successive cans.

There is, in good restaurants, a rule that the opener shall be cleaned between uses, or between difierent uses, but cleaning of prior openers is time consuming, and in the absence of a reminder the rule is honored in the breach rather than the observance. The openers must usually be washed as a whole, which cannot be done well except by mechanical washers.

It is an object of this invention to make a can opener which will prevent the contamination of the food in cans by severed particles of metal, which will prevent severed can tops from falling into the food, which will make it unnecessary for the operator to fish for the can top in the food with his fingers, and which will physically remind the operator to wash the knife.

Many can openers are so constructed that the entire opener must be washed in order to wash the blade.

The objects of the invention are accomplished, generally speaking, by the conceptions herein deis illustrated in the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1v is a perspective view of, a. hand Opener with a magnetized circular blade;

Fig. 2 is a view of a modified form of Fig. 1.

In Figs. 1 and 2 is shown a permanent magnet type embodying the invention. The numeral H0 indicates a can opener having a cutting disc, or rotary circular blade, III, which operates in a known way to sever a can top. In Figure 1 the cutting disc is mounted on a shaft by means of a wing nut, H2, which permits its ready removal for cleaning. This circular blade is permanently magnetized by any known process. It attracts and retains not only the slivers of metal but also the scrapings from the can wall.

The blade Ill may also be permanently magnetized, or not, but in either case it has contact with a horseshoe magnet H3 which is connected to a non-magnetizable, non-flux carrying support 1 I4. This magnet not only magnetizes the blade but serves to strip the particles of metal from it, and hold them, as it turns.

Among the major advantages of the invention are the magnetizing of the knife, the extraction of the severed can top and the exclusion of fingers from the food. The magnetizing of the knife prevents the contamination of food with the small metal parts torn from the metal of the can or scraped from its side. The can cover, being part of the outside of the can, is seldom clean, usually dirty from accumulated dust and handling, and the attraction of that cover by the solenoid poles prevents that exterior dirt from getting into the food. The food is uncontaminated by fingers, because no reason exists to compel the operator to thrust his fingers into the food to recover the can top.

Frequent injuries result in ordinary restaurant practice because the hands of operators are cut by the sharp metal of the severed can or top. Such injuries are prevented by this apparatus because there is less occasion for the operator to put his hands near the severed edges.

An improvement in cleanliness is also obtained because the knife is made independently removable and can be cleaned as frequently as desired. Heretofore, it was frequently impossible to clean the knife except as a part of the whole can opener, which could only be done satisfactorily by a spray washer which put the opener out of service for so long a period of time that the operator would not ordinarily clean it. during the course of the working day.

The most important advantage is the prevention of contaminationv by metal scrapings and particles from can tops and Walls, whichfrequently become embedded in the digestive organs and constitute a health hazard of positive and extensive nature.

Other advantages of the invention will be apparent to those who are engaged in the preparation of canned foods.

The invention is particularly useful to government agencies, some of which open cans in enormous quantity.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments.

What is claimed is:

i. A can opener having a circular blade composed of magnetizable metal. means to magnetize the blade comprising a magnet, and means ato hold a pole of the magnet against the blade, at a distance removed from the portion of the blade engaged with the can.

2. A can opener having a knife, composed of magnetizable metal, said knife having a cutting edge adapted to excise a part of a can, means to move said cutting edge to penetrate a can, magnet means engaging said knife at a place distant from the place of contact between can and edge and means to brin the cutting edge of the knife from cutting position to a position contiguous to the magnet means, whereby to transfer metal fragments from the cutting edge to the magnet.

DENIS FARANDATOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

